I would like to share with you a statistical tidbit that has been making the rounds on social media lately: Meyers “Seven-Foot-One” Leonard’s last blocked shot came in the 2016-17 season. He played all of last year and so far all of this year without rejecting a single field goal attempt. You’d think that, eventually, just because his arms are so long, he’s accidentally swat one while just standing around. But no.
The Blazers’ have long regretted the 4-year, 41 million dollar deal they signed him to, since he heavily regressed literally the moment the pen left the paper. What happened to the guy who was robbed of a spot in the “50-40-90” club because of stupid rules about “minimum attempts”? No one knows. All we know is that he still can be seen sitting on the Portland bench, dutifully clapping, and sometimes he even gets to play in a game.
I don’t know the circumstances that necessitated his early appearance tonight, but he immediately went to work, slamming home two putback dunks in quick succession. Besides a later three those were his only made shots, but since the Timberwolves couldn’t stop fouling him, he racked up an insane (for him) 15 points. He still looks like a basketball player (I didn’t show him trying and failing to posterize Anthony Tolliver), so maybe this can be the start of him at least partially earning his contract? Blazers fans are rightfully done with him, but I’m not. I still believe.